UPDATED 1 Sept: The EI library in London is temporarily closed to the public, as a precautionary measure in light of the ongoing COVID-19 situation. The Knowledge Service will still be answering email queries via email , or via live chats during working hours (09:15-17:00 GMT). Our e-library is always open for members here: eLibrary , for full-text access to over 200 e-books and millions of articles. Thank you for your patience.
New Energy World
New Energy World embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low carbon technologies.
Clarion call for US utilities to accelerate clean energy plan
18/10/2023
News
Dozens of US utilities may have pledged to become carbon neutral by 2050. But the Sierra Club claims that its latest research shows that nearly all utilities in the country ‘lack the plans needed to make this a reality by moving toward clean energy in the time frame needed to avoid the worst of the climate crisis’.
Responding to strong public support for climate action to reach net zero by 2050, US President Biden has committed the US to achieving 100% clean electricity by 2035, with an important milestone of 80% clean electricity by 2030. In support of this, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking action to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution from coal and gas power plants, proposing new federal carbon pollution standards for coal and gas power plants, while the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) signed into law in August 2022 aims to spur the clean energy transition.
According to the Sierra Club, the IRA includes a multitude of provisions that support utilities’ transition to clean energy and could put the US on a path to up to 85% clean power and an economy-wide net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction of about 40% by 2030. ‘This represents most of the reductions we need to achieve the US’ commitment under the Paris Agreement of reducing GHG pollution 50–52% by 2030 relative to 2005 levels,’ it says.
‘The electricity sector is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas pollution in the US, and rapidly cleaning it up is key to achieving our climate goals. Utilities must lead this transition, but our research shows that despite landmark investments, many utilities are unprepared to meet this critical moment,’ continues the Club.
Claiming that its latest studies show that ‘unless utilities retire all their coal plants by 2030, abandon all plans to build gas plants and aggressively build out renewable energy resources, we risk destabilising our liveable climate’. The Club warns: ‘Despite this pressing deadline, utilities are either not moving fast enough toward these goals, or not moving at all.’
The report is based on an analysis of long-term energy plans – known as integrated resource plans (IRPs) – and major announcements from the 50 US utilities that generate the most electricity from coal and gas. This includes investor-owned utilities, public utilities, generation and transmission co-ops, and large municipal utilities. In total, Sierra Club analysts examined plans for 77 operating companies owned by 50 parent companies that own half of all remaining coal and gas generation in the US.
The report claims that these 50 utilities have only committed to retiring 35% of their coal facilities by 2030. Furthermore, these utilities are only looking to build enough clean energy to replace 30% of their fossil fuels, while planning to build 55 GW of new gas plants.
It also suggests that only 10 of the 50 utilities have committed to reducing their emissions by 80% 2030, which experts says is necessary in order to meet the 1.5°C target.
